Istanbul Gelisim University - A project for Supporting Women with Physical Disability and Female Caregivers of Disabled Person at Home

A project for Supporting Women with Physical Disability and Female Caregivers of Disabled Person at Home

The "project for Supporting Women with Physical Disability and Female Caregivers of Disabled Person at Home" was awarded a support of 197,762.00 Euros by the European Union Directorate. Prepared by Melike Çetin, Research Support Coordinator of Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU), the project aims to offer a variety of opportunities to create an environment that will help to eliminate the psychological and sociological barriers experienced by both women with physical disabilities and their family member caregivers at home, increasing their well-being and providing them with economic freedom.

Emphasizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has economic, sociological and psychological consequences on humanity, Vice Rector of Istanbul Gelisim University Prof. Dr. Nail Öztaş said: “Before the pandemic, some groups with multiple disadvantages faced many more difficult problems with the pandemic.”

“BOTH GROUPS HAVE A DOUBLE DISADVANTAGE”

Stating that the other most affected group is family members who have to take care of their disabled individuals, Öztaş said: “In the family where a disabled person lives, women take care of them and this situation prevents women from participating in social life and employment. This causes women to be more socio-economically dependent. Although women in this group do not have any physical disability, they do not differ from women with social and economic disabilities and physical disabilities in accessing some opportunities in society. Both groups experience a double disadvantage. In addition, we have to say that women in this group experience some mental health problems such as extreme stress, depression, anxiety disorder and chronic unhappiness.”

“IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL WELFARE”

Reminding that women have a very important potential especially for the innovation economy, Vice Rector of Istanbul Gelisim University Prof. Dr. Nail Öztaş said: “Turning this potential into real values will contribute to the development of individual welfare as well as the development of the welfare of countries and increase the inclusion of societies.”

Öztaş continued his speech as follows:

“With the project, we want to improve the well-being of both women with physical disabilities and female caregivers who are family members who care for disabled individuals at home, to eliminate barriers to access to education with new methods and innovative tools offered in adult education, and to improve the qualifications of the target audience and thus increase their level of participation in employment. We are going to encourage innovative production and marketing by improving the design thinking skills and creativity of the target audience. We will improve the knowledge and skills of the target audience on digital entrepreneurship; contribute to the efficient use of world resources and sustainability goals, and contribute to the smart, sustainable and inclusive economies of societies.”

Speaking about the reason why the project was put forward with a transnational effort, Öztaş said: “The struggle against this problem continues all over the world, especially in developed countries. The situation is thus exacerbated by women with disabilities who face double discrimination, as they are left in a more vulnerable situation due to health-work balance, limited access to education and resources, other social barriers and prejudices, and cultural codes.”